6.3 Guidelines for healthy eating

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) developed the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia (1995) and revised them in 2003. These evidence / based guidelines offer a framework to promote optimal health.

Children and adolescents need sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally.

It is important for them to be physically active, and young children’s growth should be checked regularly.

They should:          

• enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods       
• eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits       
• eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain       
• include lean meat, fish, poultry and / or alternatives e.g. in their food choices       
• choose water as a drink       
• include milks, yoghurts, cheese and / or alternatives e.g.           
  
  • reduced-fat products are not suitable for young children under two years, because of their high energy needs, but reduced-fat varieties should be encouraged for older children and adolescents.         
    

Care should be taken to:        

• limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake           
  
  • low-fat diets are not suitable for infants   
• choose foods low in salt       
• consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars   
• prepare and store food safely.

Tasmanian Food and Nutrition Policy (2004)

This policy incorporated strategies spanning the whole food system, from primary production to consumption. The redeveloped Tasmanian Food and Nutrition Policy endorsed by the Government in 2004 builds on its foundations.

The 2004 policy encompasses issues addressed in Eat Well Australia (NPHP, 2001) and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia and the Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults (NH&MRC, 2003).

The Action and Monitoring Plan that accompanies the Tasmanian Food and Nutrition Policy (2004) includes objectives that promote healthy eating for school / aged children along with a range of strategies.

The Tasmanian Food and Nutrition Policy (2004) and accompanying Action and Monitoring Plan can be downloaded from the Department of Health and Human Services’ website or by contacting:

Principal Advisor, Public Health Nutrition
Population Health
Department of Health and Human Services
GPO Box 125
HOBART, 7001
Tel: 6222 7731
Fax: 6222 7407
email public.health@dhhs.tas.gov.au

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (Commonwealth of Australia, 1998)

This guide is designed to convert scientific knowledge of food composition and nutritional requirements for health into a practical guide for food selection. After extensive consultation and testing with consumers, health professionals, educators, food industry representatives and others, a model was produced in addition to a number of support materials.

The model groups foods of similar nutritional value together and arranges them in a circle in the approximate proportions required daily and that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia (NH&MRC, 2003).

Accompanying education material includes recommended serves from each food group for every age group. By encouraging the consumption of a variety of foods within each group, The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating results in a foundation diet which contains sufficient amounts of all nutrients essential for health and wellbeing. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is presented in Appendix A and B.

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is an easy accessible guide that can be used in the school setting to promote healthy eating.

Canteens and the wider school environment play a role in encouraging healthy eating and activity levels and self esteem in children.

Reference:

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Resources available are: large posters, A4 posters, consumer booklets, information pamphlets and background information for nutrition educators. Material can be ordered on 1800 020 103 or email enquiries@health.gov.au. Also see the Population Health Division website for information.

top